The Hunter
by jo7787
Summary: Commander Jane Shepard, along with her best friend Joker, are on the chase after the rogue Spectre, Saren. She finally meets her match, the arrogant C-Sec Officer, Garrus. Will the pair get past their differences or will they tear each other apart?
1. I Need You To Be Careful

I don't even feel it when we go through the relays anymore. I heard the stories back on Earth, about the relays, about how humans found them, all that. That's what I was excited about the most when I enlisted: going through a mass relay...and seeing the Citadel too. That was a good memory. One of the few I've had since leaving Earth behind. I haven't seen it in years, and I wonder if any of my other friends got away from the hell that we all went through. With my record, I was surprised the Alliance allowed me to enlist. Things change though, when you work your ass off for it, and I'm surprised that mine is still attached to my body. I do have an entire case of medals and ribbons to prove it, however. Not bad for a former gang member if I do say so myself.

I walk into the cockpit of the Normandy just as the hulking figure of Nihlus, the turian Spectre, brushes past me and I snatch our pilot's baseball cap off his head, pulling it over my long, black hair. He glares at me and I grin down at him, leaning over so he can take it back. The cockpit is full of screens, buttons, and levers that are not so foreign to me, but nothing compares to the view outside. Endless stars that go on forever, white specks peppered among the eerie blackness of space. I have made it a point to travel to various galaxy clusters and I have dragged Joker along for several of those rides. He doesn't complain one bit. I've never met a pilot who loved to fly as much as he does. The way he talks about the Normandy, it's like he's talking about the love of his life. I get it though. I talk about my battles the same way. I'm proud of everything I've done. I kept lives safe and have almost given away my own in the process. I never think twice about things like that. I've done enough in my life, and I don't mind.

Joker is the closest thing to a brother I have ever had. Other than him and Captain Anderson, I don't have a family. The first day I met Joker was also the first time I had visited the Citadel. That was a while ago. I was looking over a menu at Flux, nursing a beer, and Joker's buddies had egged him on to buy me a drink. They were sitting a few chairs down from me, slurring and looking over their shoulders at me every few seconds. They were loud and obnoxious, the whole lot of them. Other patrons, both human and alien alike were all glaring at them every time a lewd comment escaped their group. I ignored them for the most part, and continued look over the menu with little interest. Joker was already pretty shit-faced, having taken multiple shots, as he hobbled his ass over to me and leaned against the bar with this smirk on his face.

_"Hey...you like pilots?" he asks me with a raised brow and a grin to match. His eyes are pretty, I'm always a sucker for nice eyes, and the scruff on his face suits him well...he's more than decent looking. Too bad I've already made a rule for myself concerning his type. Concerning anyone, really. I'm not the type to date. Sure, I've had my flings here and there, but in the end no one wants to stay with someone like me. Not once they find out about my past...and what I do for a living now._

_ "I don't date flyboys," I tell him, hoping my nasty glare is enough to drive him away. My eyes return to the sticky menu and I still feel him staring at me. _

_ "Aw, why not?" he asks. I look up as he frowns and juts out his bottom lip as if I actually hurt his feelings. I could give a fuck less. I want to drink in peace, not join some stupid party. _

_ "I prefer people who can kill something and don't stay in their cozy little pampered cockpits while real men die on the battlefield," I say. I know I'm being harsh, and I don't mean what I just said, but I really don't want the attention. I've gotten enough of it during training with the Alliance; even some of my superiors had the gall to do a double take whenever I walked by. I'm waiting for this dumb ass to be stupid enough to touch me so I can just ram my pistol into his face. _

_ "I just wanna buy you a drink...you're fuckin' hot...and you must be so bored if you're just sitting here read-" he begins._

_ I pull out my pistol and point it between his eyes with a wry smile. The drunk staggers back with his hands in the air, mumbling an apology. Satisfied, I set my gun on the bar top, in full view of that jerk and his friends. They don't bother me again, but when my beer is empty, the bartender hands me another and points to that pilot again. I look up and he smiles, saluting me before his friends help him out of the bar. _

I used to hang out at Flux regularly and the next day, Joker was back, pestering the barkeep for my name. He left a note, apologizing for his behavior and asking if he could make it up to me somehow. I wasn't going to answer it but low and behold he was there again that very night, sober, and introduced himself. I've been stuck with him for a best friend ever since. He won't leave, no matter how much shit I dish out...and I'm glad for it.

Resting my upper body on the back of Joker's chair, I drift in and out of the conversation between him and that Kaidan guy. They're talking about the same thing the entire crew has been whispering about: Nihlus and why he's really on board with us. Some of the crew have been uneasy with the fact that he's a turian and that he'll turn against us one day. I for one don't give a shit if he's a turian or not. In the end, all sentient creatures want the same things in their lives. They want to move forward and be happy. The very fact that the turians helped to design the Normandy should be proof enough that they aren't against us. Those times are far behind us, and everyone should really just get over it. I already have.

"Only an idiot believes the official story, you know," I hear Joker mutter to Kaidan.

For a while, I've been wondering about Nihlus' place here as well, but there must be a good reason...hopefully.

"I agree," I say aloud, startling them both. "They don't send Spectres on shakedown runs."

"There's gotta be more going on than the Captain's letting on," says Joker.

Captain Anderson asks for a status report and I stare in wonder at the panel, blinking beneath Joker's hands. His fingertips hover over the sun-colored screen a mere second before something pops up, and for a guy who can barely walk, the way he works is incredibly graceful. Piloting this massive ship takes some real talent, and he has it. Joker decides to take a crack at Nihlus being the smart-ass that he is, and is promptly admonished by Anderson.

"Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the Comm Room," the Captain orders.

Joker turns in his chair, grinning, and says, "You caught that, _Commander_ Jane?"

"Yes, I did _Jeff_...he sounds angry. Something must have gone wrong with the mission," I say.

"Captain always sounds like that when he's talking to me," Joker says with a scoff.

"I can't imagine why," Kaidan whispers under his breath.

I give Joker's shoulder a light squeeze and he lets out a groan of pain. I roll my eyes; he always says I'm too rough with him. Baby. At least I don't have to toughen him up. Joker's got a thick enough skin. We've been through a lot, but nothing too major. I don't know what I'd do without him, and I wonder if that is how people feel about their families. I've never been good with that shit. Joker's family has suggested several times that we should be together, but he and I always make a face of mock disgust. That just isn't for us, and I leave far too much to have any sort of healthy relationship. The last person who deserves that is Joker. Besides, I have a lot of fun threatening the stupid women he always ends up dating.

Passing the galaxy map, I hear Navigator Pressly whisper a bit too loudly to another crew member, "I just saw Nihlus walk by! Did you see him? I don't trust his kind!"

"Easy, Pressly. You're going to give yourself an ulcer," I say with a grin. I know the older folks have a harder time with the aliens we ally ourselves with, so I give them a break. To a point.

"Very funny, Commander," he says with a scowl.

I give him a wink and continue on towards the Comm Room. The doors open and it isn't Captain Anderson waiting for me...it's Nihlus. I have never spoken to him alone before. Then again, he doesn't really talk to anyone on board. He always keeps to himself, even in the mess hall. Shame, really. I bet he could be interesting to talk to. I'm sure he's see more than I have, and I could always brush up on my languages. Our translators are much easier to use though, and even Captain Anderson can't see why I'm hell bent on learning alien languages.

"Commander Shepard, I was hoping you'd get here first...it will give us a chance to talk," says Nihlus.

"Talk? What about?" I ask. After wanting to speak with him in person for so long, suddenly I feel like I'm backed against a wall and it makes me a bit nervous.

"I'm interested in this world we're going to...Eden Prime. I've heard it's quite beautiful," he says. Weird time to make small chat.

Nihlus is pacing, and it's making me nervous. It's almost as bad as yesterday when we got stuck in the elevator together, when Joker was upgrading some of the Normandy's systems. He was quiet and stood on the complete opposite side of the elevator, staring at the wall in a stoic silence. Nihlus didn't even say one word to me for an entire hour, no "shitty situation, huh?", no "Joker better fix this quickly"...it was just silence. And now, he's dishing out idle chatter? Something's up, and I feel as if he's just trying to sugar coat things...I hate that. Just tell me things are going to be bad or dangerous. I can handle that. What I cannot handle is secrecy.

"I wouldn't know...I haven't been there, just seen it in vids," I mention.

"But you know of it," he says. "It's become something of a symbol for your people, hasn't it? Proof that humans can not only establish colonies across the galaxy, but also protect them. But...how safe is it, really?"

"...Why are you asking me this? Do you know something?" I ask with a hint of a threat. I can't help it, but I don't like how he's bringing this up. A predator...hunting. What he doesn't know is that I'm a hunter too, and I can practically feel claws growing out of my fingertips.

Nihlus chuckles for a moment and says, "Your people are still newcomers, Shepard. The galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this?"

"I can't speak for everyone in the Alliance, but I know I'm sure as hell ready for anything you're going to throw at me-" I begin to say.

Captain Anderson walks in, and I shut my mouth immediately. Nihlus' mandible twitches in what I think could be annoyance, but whether it's directed at me or Anderson, I'm not so clear on.

"I think it's about time we told the commander what's really going on," says Anderson with a heavy sigh. He sounds tired, and I'm about to grab one of these chairs and insist that he sit down, but I don't want him to see it as a jab at his pride...he's been a father figure to me. I respect him, more than anyone else on this ship...more than Nihlus.

"This mission is far more than a simple shake-down run," Nihlus announces.

"Yeah, no shit," I blurt out. Captain Anderson glares at me and I shrug my shoulders. He should be used to this by now. I do and say what I want, whenever I want. That has not changed since I left Earth, and it never will. It's kept me alive for this long.

"We're making a covert pick-up on Eden Prime. That's why we needed the stealth systems operational," Captain Anderson explains.

"You should have told me. Keeping me in the dark is never a good thing...I _hate_ that, Captain," I mutter.

"I know, I'm sorry Jane. It was on a strictly, need to know basis," says Anderson. "We had to go through a chain of command. A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon during an excavation...it was Prothean."

"Damn, Protheans? That's a big deal. What else?" I ask.

"You know of Protheans?" Nihlus asks me.

"I did pay attention during my training, yes. Everyone else fell asleep during lessons...I didn't," I say. Nihlus cocks his head and his mandibles widen a bit. I smile back, proud to know I got some sort of positive reaction from the ship's guest.

"This is really big, Jane. The last time we found something like this, our technology jumped forward two hundred years in less than one! Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities to properly research it, so we must bring it back to the Citadel," says Anderson.

"Obviously, this goes beyond mere human interests, Commander. This discovery could affect every species in Council space," Nihlus adds.

"You sound worried," I point out to the turian. "Expecting some trouble?"

"I'm always expecting trouble," Nihlus growls.

Captain Anderson puts his hand on my shoulder and says, "There's...another reason why Nihlus is here."

"And that is?" I ask, dreading the answer.

"To evaluate you," Nihlus chimes in.

"What the fuck for?" I shout, stepping back from Nihlus.

"Humanity wants more say in the Citadel council...if we have more key people involved, it could help our cause and-" Anderson begins.

"You held off an enemy assault single-handedly during the Blitz. That takes courage and incredible skill...and that's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres," Nihlus says.

"You?" I ask. Saying that I'm surprised is a rather huge understatement...I'm amazed that my chin hasn't hit the ground from Nihlus' words.

"Not all turians resent humanity. Some of us see the potential of your species. We see what you have to offer to the rest of the galaxy...and to the Spectres. We are elite, and it is difficult to find someone with the skills that we seek. The point is, I don't care if you're human, Shepard. I only care that you can do the job," Nihlus explains.

"Tell me what I have to do," I say.

Yes, on the outside I look confident, but inside I'm shaking. Me? A Spectre? I can hardly believe this...and I'm sure when I tell Joker, he won't believe a word of it either, although knowing him, he's listening in right now. But I want this. If anyone can do this, it's me.

"I need to see your skills for myself, Commander. Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together," Nihlus says.

"You'll be in charge of the ground team. Secure the beacon and get it on board the Normandy ASAP. Nihlus will accompany you to observe the mission," Anderson says.

"Just give the word, Captain, and I'm on it," I say.

"Good. We should be getting close to Eden-" Anderson starts to say, but Joker's frantic voice over the intercom interrupts him and our meeting.

"Captain! We've got a problem!" Joker says.

"What's wrong?" the Captain asks. Nihlus and I glance at each other, and we both know that this is not good...and that our plans have possibly just gone up in smoke in an instant.

"Transmission from Eden Prime, Sir. You better see this!" Joker shouts.

"Bring it up then!" Anderson yells, resting his hands on the railing.

I am only mildly prepared for what shows up on the screen. Bullets being fired, soldiers dying, debris and dirt sailing through the air. The person holding the camera is shoved down to the ground by a young woman and she stands over his body, defending him with expertly aimed shots. I hear noises that I have never heard before; loud, metallic, metal grinding against metal...it's loud and nerve-wracking. And then, for a split second, I see something massive on the screen. I have no idea what the fuck it could be...I've seen many ships during my service, but nothing like that. The message shows the deaths of several more soldiers and goes blank. The three of us stare at each other, unsure of what all saw.

"Everything cuts out after that...no comm traffic at all. Just goes dead...there's nothing," Joker says.

"Reverse and go to 38.5!" Captain Anderson shouts.

There it is, on the screen again...what the hell is that? I would ask, but both Nihlus and Captain Anderson look as dumbfounded as I am right now. Anderson asks for a status report and Joker tells us that we're seventeen minutes out, and that there are no other ships in the area. If shit hits the fan, we'll be on our own. I'm used to that...doesn't mean that everyone else is.

"Tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up, Commander. Meet us in the cargo hold," Anderson says with a nod.

I wait until he and Nihlus leave the comm room, and I'm alone, staring at the frozen ship on the screen.

"Joker?" I ask aloud. "Did you hear any of that?

"I did...shit Jane, you being a Spectre? That's fucking awesome if you ask me. You can use it to your advantage whenever we go on shore leave. Just go up to any bar and demand free drinks, or goad one of those hot-ass asari dancers at Chora's Den to give me free lap dances," he says with a chuckle.

"Joker..." I growl.

"I'm just kidding, just kidding...well...not really but listen, I know you hate when I say this and you always say I sound like a broken vid, but please be careful Jane? Life would be pretty shitty without my best friend," he says to me.

Usually, I would rip Joker a new one for saying that, but I know he means well. He worries about me too much. I'm not a porcelain doll, I've been shot before and have come near death several times. Each time, I woke up to Joker sitting in a chair, crunching up his favorite hat beside me with Captain Anderson staring at the monitors. I then would get a lecture from them both and Joker begs me to take it easy.

"I'm always careful," I tell him.

"Yeah, you say that every time too. Alenko and Jenkins are already waiting for you. I gave them a heads up," Joker's voice says.

"Thanks. I'll see you soon, all right?" I tell him.

"Bring presents!" he laughs before logging out.

Time for another fight. I can hardly wait for this one.


	2. The Screams Of Millions

Eden Prime, once a place of beauty and splendor, is now a war zone. Smoke billows into a crimson sky, and ash falls around me like snow. Alenko and Jenkins are standing behind me, nervous and pulling out their handguns at the slightest disturbance. Nihlus' voice comes up on my radio, telling me he will scout ahead and that the area is filled with hostiles. None appear on my radar just yet, so we are safe for the time being.

We walk, and see a few of the native animals Jenkins calls "gas bags" floating above a stagnant pool of green water. He says they're harmless, so we continue on our way. I keep my sniper rifle out, preferring it over close-range weapons. That's how I was able to stay alive and protect my crew members during the Blitz, so I'll stick with it. No need to go into a fight I may not be able to finish.

There are a couple of burnt bodies strewn over a rock by the pool of water, and Jenkins blurts out, "Oh god...what happened here?"

"Let's keep moving then...we can't help them now," I say to him. Jenkins doesn't move and instead chooses to stare at the dead, frozen on the spot with fear.

"You keep saying that you wanted some action, right? Well this is it! This is it! You can handle this, Jenkins, just keep your head on fucking straight and kill whatever I shoot at, got it?" I shout, shaking him for a moment.

"Aye aye, Commander," he mutters, turning away from the sight.

Up the hill are several more bodies, but I won't let us stop to look at them any longer than we have to. I need my men alert...we'll have time to mourn the fallen later. I hear a strange humming and we rush over to a large group of boulders and I silently hold my fist up. Jenkins and Alenko stop behind me and crouch down. The humming is gone and I wave them forward. A swarm of small drones fly into the open and fire, shooting Jenkins in the chest. I scream for Alenko to take cover and I set up my sniper rifle on a smaller boulder. Jenkins hasn't moved an inch and I know he's dead...I should have gone first...damn it.

"Alenko, disable the damn things!" I yell over the noise of fired shots.

"I can't get a clear shot, Commander!" he answers. A shot chips the rock that he's using as his cover and he cowers down.

"Fine, I'll fucking do it," I growl, even though he can't hear me. I lean out of my cover and take a shot at one of the drones, shattering it to pieces. There's only two more...easy enough. I send the second skidding to the ground where it explodes and clench my fist for the final drone. My biotics kick in, surging through my veins and I throw the drone across the path, slamming it into a tree.

When the coast is clear, Alenko ducks out of his cover and runs over to Jenkin's body. Blood oozes from his chest and his eyes are staring into the sky with a strange sort of amazement. Maybe your life really does flash before your eyes when you die, or maybe you can see the afterlife...I don't know. I've given up on those sort of hopes long ago. Running wild with a gang of drug addicts does that to you.

Kaidan bends down and closes Jenkins' eyes before murmuring, "Ripped right through his shields...he never had a chance."

I don't know much about Jenkins and my history with Kaidan is...strained to say the least. Alenko was just another pretty face with nothing to offer me...a pretty face who just happened to end up in my bed one night when I had too much to drink. Jenkins was always pestering Navigator Pressly and Captain Anderson, asking them question after question about the right things to do during battle. After that night with Kaidan, I have stayed away and pretended the whole thing never happened. It's awkward to work with someone when you know what they look like underneath their clothes. He wanted more, and I did not. Night after night, he would try to get me to open up to him and I ignored it until we became strangers to each other. Joker came swooping in after I confessed what had been going on and feigned feelings for me so Kaidan would back off. Ever since, Joker and I would hole up in my room watching vids so I wouldn't have to face Kaidan alone.

Even after all of this, I still feel like I should say something because he looks like he's hurting pretty bad. I've lost friends...I know it hurts.

"Sometimes marines die...and the rest of us have to move on. We still have to find that beacon," I say. "I'll make sure he gets a proper burial, okay? I promise I won't leave him here like this. He deserves better."

"Yes ma'am, whenever you're ready," he says.

At the edge of the cliff, we can see towers shooting into the clearings below them, warding off any attackers. I've never seen those sorts of drones before and I wish we knew what we were dealing with out here. I could be better prepared and spare any more lives from being taken, because the ones I've seen are already enough. Alenko and I are attacked by another group of those drones at the end of the path, but at least this time Kaidan doesn't just hide there. His biotics are just as powerful as mine, and the drones are destroyed within seconds.

"There's a lot of burned out buildings here, Shepard...a lot of bodies. I'll meet you at the dig sit," Nihlus says over the radio. He sounds calm, so maybe there aren't as many hostiles near us as we once thought. I hope Nihlus isn't clearing the area for us. I don't need anyone to make my job easier. I've been through worse, and I can handle it just fine.

"We lost Jenkins but we'll be there soon," I reply.

Alenko and I encounter a few more drones when we walk past a cluster of trees, and we come up on a small clearing. A soldier, the girl from the message Nihlus, Anderson, and I watched is running towards us, a few of those same drones following close behind. One of the drones lands a shot on her back, but her shields are stronger than Jenkins' shields were. She leaps forward, pulling a pistol from her waist and shoots the two drones down. Looking past them, two large...whatever the hell they are...are holding a man against this strange platform. He seems too weak to struggle and before I can even lift my rifle to put a bullet through their heads, a massive spike shoots out of the ground, impaling him. The soldier runs to me and I brush off my shock, placing my rifle at my shoulder. The soldier does the same and we each take down one of the hostiles.

"Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. You the one in charge here ma'am?" she asks me with a salute.

"Yes, I am. Are you all right? Any wounds?" I ask, looking her over.

"A few scrapes and burns, nothing serious...the others weren't so lucky. Oh man, we were patrolling the perimeter when the attack hit. We tried to get off a distress signal, but those bastards cut us off our comm. I've been fighting for my life ever since," Ashley explains.

"What the hell are these things?" I ask, pointing to bodies I helped dispatch. They're essentially robots, from what I can see. Mechs of some sort..

"I think they're geth," Ashley mutters.

Kaidan shakes his head and says, "The geth haven't been seen outside the Veil in almost two hundred years. Why are they here now?"

"They must have come for the beacon," I say to him.

"The dig sit is close. Just over that rise. It might still be there," Ashley says.

"Come with us then, we could use your help," I tell her.

"Aye aye, ma'am. Time for a little payback," she growls.

I point to the rise and shout for Alenko and Williams to move out. At the dig site, there are a few more geth, but it's not hard for the three of us to kill them. When the last geth drops to the ground, Ashley runs out to the middle of the site, looking around for the beacon I'm assuming. I have no idea what it looks like, or even how big it's supposed to be.

"The beacon was right here! It must have been moved," Ashley shouts, waving her arm above her head.

"By who? Our side, or the geth?' Kaidan asks.

"It's hard to say...maybe we'll know more after we check out the research camp," she replies.

"Are there any survivors, you think?" I ask her.

"Commander, Captain Anderson specifically said-" Kaidan begins. I hold up my hand to silence him and he stops himself.

"This isn't up to you. If there are survivors, I want to help them. Wouldn't you want me to come looking for you if you were stuck here, Alenko?" I ask him.

"...I understand ma'am," he says, staring at his boots.

"There could be some, if they were lucky. They could be at the camp, hiding somewhere," Ashley says.

We walk up a few ramps and Nihlus comes in over the radio and says, "Change of plans, Shepard. There's a small spaceport up ahead. I want to check it out. I'll wait for you there."

"You heard him guys, let's hurry up," I order.

There are several more of those spikes holding impaled bodies high in the air. Those people can't be helped...and the rest of the camp is a huge mess. Crates are thrown everywhere and there are a few patches of smoldering grass here and there. I feel this...uneasy feeling walking through the camp. I feel like we're walking into an ambush even though nothing is moving around us. Ash is falling heavily here, and I wish I brought my helmet, even though I hate shooting with it. I can't see as well, and sometimes it brings on this feeling like I don't have enough air...

Alenko steps on a broken tree branch and the crack pierces the air. The spikes recede and the bodies begin to flail around...only they don't look human anymore. Their bodies are glowing with a glittering blue tone, and their mouths hang open as if their jaws weren't connected to their skulls anymore.

"Oh my god, they're still alive!" Kaidan shouts.

The bodies stumble toward us, groaning loudly, and sending a chill down my spine.

"What did the geth do to them?" Ashley cries out.

The bodies face us and their stumbling turns into a run...right for us.

"Shit! Open fire! Open fire!" I scream as the closest body lashes out at me and I jam my pistol in its mouth, squeezing the trigger without hesitation.

The bodies are about to swarm over us and Kaidan puts up a biotic wall to shield all three of us momentarily. It is enough to push them back and pump bullets into their deformed bodies until they're dead. Kaidan's shield falls and he slumps against a rock, wiping his forehead free of beading sweat.

"What the fuck happened to them?" I ask.

"They're...they're husks," Kaidan explains, still short of breath. "I heard stories about them...how the geth drain the life out of them and make them mindless drones. It's not only people. Any sentient being could be made into one."

I shake the disgusted feeling off my bones and look around the research camp, keeping my pistol out in case anymore of those husks or geth show up. Ashley points out the only small building with its door closed and I walk over, hoping there could be survivors in there. The door is locked and I use some omni-gel Kaidan found in the ruined building beside me to unlock it. I step inside, holding up my pistol, and sigh with relief. Huddled in the corner are two survivors, free of injury, but still shaking with fear. The woman is clutching the man to her chest and she rests her cheek on his head as she rocks him back in forth. When she looks up, her wild eyes soften and I smile at her so she knows I mean her no harm.

"Humans!" the woman shouts. "Thank the Maker!

"Hurry! Shut the door before they come back!" the man wails, standing up and peering outside.

"You're safe, it's all right. We'll protect you," I tell them.

"Thank you. I think we'll be okay now...we heard you outside," says the woman, her face heavy with a frown.

Ashley walks in and cocks her head before saying, "You're Dr. Warren, the one in charge of the excavation. Do you know what happened to the beacon?"

"It was moved to the spaceport this morning. Manuel and I stayed behind to help pack up the camp. When the attack came, the marines held them off long enough for us to hide...they gave their lives to save us," Dr. Warren explains.

"No one is saved! The age of humanity is ended and soon, only ruin and corpses will remain!" Manuel cries out.

Dr. Warren reaches out and shushes him with a soft murmur, holding him close to her. She tells him that not everything is lost and that there is some hope because of people like us. Her actions make my stomach twist up in multiple knots...because there are times that I need someone to tell me everything will be fine. Joker can only do so much. He may be my best friend, but there are things that I can't even tell him because he sees me as a force to be reckoned with, his rock, his hero. How could I be weak when he needs me to be strong? So instead, I hide my fears inside my head and press on. Sometimes the burden feels like too much, and I wonder one day if I'll crumble. What will happen when I do?

"Williams, take us to the spaceport please," I say, shaking those thoughts away.

"Yes ma'am, I'll take you there," she says.

Ashley leads us away from the camp and a shot rings out loud and clear. A chill consumes my entire body, and I break out into a run...Nihlus was waiting for us at the spaceport.

"Something's wrong," Kaidan says, matching my run. His jaw falls and he points into the sky, and what we see forces the three of us to skid to a halt. The mysterious ship from the message hangs in the sky, more menacing than anything I've ever witnessed. Holy shit.

"What the hell is that?" Kaidan shouts.

"It's a ship! Look at the size of it!" Ashley says.

The ships soars into the blood red sky, leaving a plume of dark smoke beneath it. Almost on cue, husks and geth crawl out from all around the spaceport, and we open fire. There are so many of them, and the screams of the husks seem to rally more of them to our position. Williams and I continue forward and Kaidan makes another shield for us both. I haven't heard from Nihlus. He should be here, where the hell is he?

The fight is over and I see a few people pop their heads out of a ruined shed. The three of us run over to them and they hold their hands up, white with fear.

"Is it safe? Are they gone?" one of them asks.

"It's okay, they're dead. No one's gonna hurt you," I tell them.

"Those things were crawling all around the fucking shed...they would have found us for sure. We owe you our lives," a man mutters.

"I-I still can't believe it...when we saw that ship, we thought it was all over," a young girl says.

"It showed up right before the attack. I knew it was trouble so I gathered everyone I could find and brought them here," says the man.

"I have to go. Stay here until someone comes for you, all right?" I tell them, looking over my shoulder for a moment. Still no sign of Nihlus.

"Hey Cole...we're just a bunch of farmers; these guys are soldiers, we should just give them the stuff," another man whispers.

"Geez Blake, you gotta learn when to _shut up,_" Cole snaps.

My arms are crossed and both Kaidan and Ashley lift up their guns. Tapping my foot on the ground, I ask, "You have something to tell me, Cole?"

Cole balls his hands up and releases them almost immediately when my eyes fall on them. If they make a move on us, I will not hesitate to fire.

"S-some guys...were running a small...smuggling ring. Nothing major, and in exchange for some of the profits, we let them store packages in our sheds," Cole explains.

"Like?" I press.

"I found a pistol...figured it would come in handy...but...here," he says, reaching behind his back and handing me a handgun. "You'll get more use out of it than we will."

I smile, holding the gun up. It's not a bad make...better than what I have. I hand him my old pistol with a wink and walk to the spaceport behind us. It's not like he was helping to sell slaves or drugs. I can look past this for now; there are much more important things to worry about.

There is a body beyond the ramp...oh my god, it's Nihlus.

"Shit," I mutter, crouching down to look him over. There's an exit wound above his eye...and his gun is still strapped to him. I glance up at Kaidan and say, "He was murdered. Whoever did this...Nihlus didn't see that person as a threat."

"You know him?" Ashley asks with a wrinkled face of obvious disgust. My fist itches to punch her in the face for her hatred for someone she didn't even know, but I won't. As much as I hate it, everyone has the right to say and think how they like.

"Yes...he was a Spectre," I answer.

A few crates are knocked down just in front of us and I fire, my shot narrowly missing a man who was hiding behind them.

"Wait! Wait, don't shoot, I'm one of you! I'm human!" he shouts.

"Did you kill him?" I snarl. Don't lose it, Jane. He could be innocent. Relax. Count, like Joker says...count to five...because there's never anytime for ten.

"No! My name is Powell! I saw who did-the other one shot him!" Powell yelps.

"What other one?" I ask, still seething. He let Nihlus die. How could anyone just stand there and watch someone get killed.

"T-there were two turians: your friend here, and another one he called Saren. I think they knew each other. Your friend seemed to relax; he let his guard down and Saren killed him. Shot him right in the back," Powell explains.

"Where'd Saren go?" I ask.

"He got on the cargo train and went to the other platform. Probably going after the beacon," he says. "I knew that beacon was trouble...everything's gone to hell after we found it. First that god damn mother ship shows up and then the attack. They killed everyone...everyone! If I wasn't behind the crates I'd be dead too!"

"Come on, we have to get to the beacon or else Nihlus died for nothing!" I yell, pulling Kaidan towards the cargo train in the distance.

The place is overrun by those geth, but there's no time to set up good shots. Saren could be at the beacon right now. I charge ahead of Ashley and Kaidan, mowing down the geth with my biotics. I even plow into one with my shoulder, sending it over the railing with a laugh. I slam my open palm onto the train controls and we race forward to the next platform. My omni-tool lights up; it's detected detonation charges. I jump from the train before it comes to a full stop and there's the first charge, sitting right by the tracks. That fucking asshole must have set them up. The countdown has begun and seconds tick away from the glowing white screen. We have less then five minutes.

"Kaidan, disarm these fucking things, now!" I roar as the geth begin to pepper us with shots.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" he shouts.

"Go faster or we're dead!" I scream.

The first bomb is disarmed and we hurry to the next closest one. Ashley and I cover Kaidan as he works, muttering a curse every so often. I can't help but glance down at the screen of the third bomb when we reach it...and there's only two minutes left. This is too damn close for my liking.

"The last one is at the end of this walkway, I'll get it!" I tell them before sprinting for the final bomb.

I nearly trip over it and my fingers work fast to disable it...forty-five seconds...shit, I was never good at electronics. That's Joker's thing, not mine. Twenty seconds...fifteen...come one Jane...ten...nine...fuck, almost there...five...four...

The screen blips and fades to black, and I throw myself over the thing, close to tears. My moment of triumph...or near-death, depending on how one sees things is short lived. I still have to get to the beacon. We race down the steps of the cargo area and I see it. Leaping over the railing, I unleash a massive barrier against the few geth that guard it and stumble over to the beacon. Ashley and Kaidan jog over, and I'm spent...that was the largest barrier I've ever made and now I'm so out of breath I think I might pass out. I rest my hands on my knees for a second, gasping for oxygen, until my heart slows down a notch.

Wearily, I lift my arm, pointing at the beacon, an emerald glow surrounding it, and ask, "Is that it?"

Ashley nods and asks, "But where is this Saren?"

"Maybe we scared him off..." Kaidan says, staring at the beacon in awe. "This is amazing...working prothean technology!"

"It wasn't doing anything like that earlier..." I hear Ashley tell him.

"Something must have activated it," Kaidan mutters.

I turn away and try to walk off the pain in my chest, and I press the button on my minuscule earpiece.

"Joker, it's Jane," I say into the radio.

"I think I know your voice by now," Joker responds.

"Shut the hell up. Nihlus is dead, but the beacon is secure. Jenkins is dead too. I've marked where they fell and I'll forward it to you. I'm not leaving without them," I say.

"Shit," Joker mutters. "Are you hurt?"

"No, a bullet grazed my arm but I've barely noticed it...You got our coordinates? I feel like I'm about to have a heart attack here...just made a massive barrier, you should have seen it-"

"Commander!" Ashley screeches.

My head snaps up at the sound of her voice and I see Kaidan being pulled towards the beacon. I run over and manage to shove him out of the way, and the beacon traps me instead. It lifts me into the air...and Ashley screams.

"JANE!" I hear Kaidan shout.

A rush of images and sounds crash into my skull...I hear screams, the screams of millions all at once...there's bloodshed, strange beings holding each other as a light overcomes them...places I've never seen...and then nothing.


	3. Meeting Her Match

I hear things before I can see them...my eyes have some catching up to do. I hear Dr. Chakwas speaking to someone in a hushed tone...that means I'm not dead. Good, that wasn't in my plans just yet. My eyelids peel away and I can see the polished, although still blurry ceiling. I can move my head a little bit, so I'm not paralyzed, but I still scrunch up my toes to be sure. Yup, still feel those. I manage to look over to my left and there's Joker, resting his head in his arms as he leans onto my bed. Is his hat in his hand- yes of course it is. Things never change. He lifts his head and I smile, hoping I don't startle him out of his wheelchair and have him break something.

"Doctor Chakwas! She's waking up!" Joker shouts.

With a throbbing ache raging through my body, I force myself to sit up. Doctor Chakwas walks up to me and gently takes my chin into her warm, wrinkled hand as she shines a light into my eyes.

"You're the only person I've ever met with violet eyes, Commander. They're quite lovely," she tells me. "You had us all worried."

"You never listen to me, damn it! Alenko and that Williams chick dragged you on board, I thought you were dead," Joker says. He doesn't hide his anger with me, and you can see it all over his face right now.

"Part of the job," I mumble to him.

He sighs, pulling his cap over his hair and he asks, "How are you feeling?"

"Like the morning after shore leave. How long was I out?" I ask with a groan. Joker snorts with laughter and I nudge him with my foot.

"About fifteen hours," says Kaidan, standing up from a chair by the door. I didn't even notice that he was in here...my morning after shore leave joke now has a double meaning. No wonder Joker couldn't stop himself from laughing. I shoot Joker a questioning glance and he shrugs, giving me a "sorry Jane, I couldn't keep his ass away from you" look.

"Kaidan tells me that something happened with the beacon," says Doctor Chakwas.

"It's my fault," Kaidan says. "I must have triggered something when I approached it. You had to push me out of the way."

I sigh and brush my hair away from my eyes. "You had no way of knowing...it's all right."

Kaidan smiles at me and I wish I could just curl up and not ever see it again. I really shouldn't encourage him. For all I know, he thinks everything is smoothed over and I'll jump into his arms with a kiss and a hug...the hell I will.

"What happened to the beacon?" I ask.

"It...uh...blew up. A system overload maybe," Kaidan explains. "Knocked you out cold."

"Am I hurt?" I ask Doctor Chakwas. Nothing really hurts on my body, except my head...that feels like someone took a hammer and went to town with it. I lied. This is worse than the morning after shore leave.

"Physically, you're fine, but I've detected some unusual brain activity, abnormal beta waves. I also noticed an increase in your rapid eye movement, signs typically associated with intense dreaming," Chakwas informs me. Well, that's a good thing. If I can't fight, what good am I?

"I saw...I'm not sure what I saw...death...destruction..." I look down at Joker and add, "it was bad."

"Shit, Janie, you sure you're all right?" Joker asks.

"Hmm...I'll add that to my report," Doctor Chakwas mutters to herself.

The door slides open and Captain Anderson walks in with a frown, but when he sees that I'm sitting up, he smiles warmly.

He rests a hand on my shoulder and asks, "How's my XO holding up?"

"All the readings look normal. I'd say she's going to be fine," Chakwas explains.

"Glad to hear it. I'm used to Shepard's hospital visits by now, but it does not change the fact that I worry about her," Anderson says.

"Yeah, you and me both," Joker mumbles. He leans back in his wheelchair and balances on two wheels for a moment.

"I need a word with Shepard...in private," the Captain says.

Joker wheels himself out of the room, telling me over his shoulder that he'll be in the bridge if I need to vent, and Kaidan mentions something about the mess hall. Captain Anderson turns to me and I cringe. The last thing I need is a lecture, my head is throbbing enough as it is.

"Sounds like the beacon hit you pretty hard. Are you sure you're all right?" Anderson questions.

"Well...I don't like soldiers dying under my command," I admit with a frown.

"Jenkins wasn't your fault. You did a good job, Jane," he says.

I stare at the floor, at my boots and blow a piece of hair out of my eyes. I just want to go to sleep for a little bit; curl up into a ball beneath my fleece blankets and snore my nightmares away. "You said you wanted to speak to me. I don't think you're here to ask about my health...you could have done that in front of the others."

"Things...look bad. Nihlus is dead. The beacon was destroyed, and geth are invading. The Council's going to want answers," he says.

"I didn't do anything wrong. None of us did. We have nothing to hide from the Council," I tell him, and damn it, it's true. None of us asked for this.

"I'll stand behind you and your report, Jane. You're a damn hero in my books. But that's not why I'm here. It's Saren, the other turian. He's a Spectre, one of the best; a living legend. If he's really behind Nihlus' death, then he's gone rogue. A rogue Spectre is trouble. Saren is dangerous...and he hates humans," the Captain explains to me.

Makes sense then, why he would be involved with a human colony being attacked. Humans aren't all bad, and I wish that the aliens we've met could start seeing the good we can do. We're strong, resilient, determined. We want something, and we'll fight until we get it. I don't see why aliens wouldn't want us as allies. We're as strong of a race as any of the others. I bite on my bottom lip, a nasty little habit I realize, and it dawns on me why Saren and so many others hate us. It doesn't give him or anyone else the right to slaughter us.

"Why does he hate us?" I ask, wondering if it's for the reasons I have just thought of.

"He thinks we're growing too fast...a lot of aliens think that. I don't know what would make him want to join up with geth. Did you see anything that may be a clue as to what Saren is after?" he asks me.

I want to tell Anderson everything, really I do...but there is a chance that he may think I'm not stable enough to finish this fight. I guess I have to risk it. If I have to have Joker sneak me off of this ship, I will.

"I saw something...a vision, I guess you could call it," I mumble.

"A vision? A vision of what?" he asks me.

"I saw synthetics, geth. Things dying...it was like a warning," I whisper. The dread washes over me and I fight the urge to shiver. That can wait until I'm behind closed doors, away from the only man who can prevent me from continuing on with the mission. Anderson can't see me like this. I won't let him.

"We need to report this to the Council, Shepard," he says.

"Hell no! They'll think I'm crazy!" I shout.

"We don't know what was stored inside the beacon, Jane! Blueprints for a weapon of mass destruction? Who knows! What we do know is that Saren has them, and not only that, he has an army of geth at his command and he won't stop until he's wiped humanity from the face of the galaxy! He thinks we're a blight, and the attack on Eden Prime was an act of war!" Anderson shouts back to me.

"I'll stop him, Captain, if it's the last thing I ever do," I growl.

"It's not that easy. He's a Spectre. He can go anywhere, do almost anything. We need the Council on our side," he says.

"We prove he's gone rogue and they'll revoke his status," I point out.

"I'll ask the ambassador to get us an audience with the Council. We should be close to the Citadel. Go to the bridge and tell Joker to take us in," he tells me before stepping out.

I'm going to find Saren...and I've already decided what I'm going to do when I find him. I'm going to kill the son of a bitch...and he's going to watch me do it. It won't be quick like he killed Nihlus. I want him to suffer. The bed creaks beneath me as I hop off and head outside of the clinic. Kaidan is standing by the door with a worried look. Didn't see that one coming...

"Commander, I'm glad to see you up. Losing Jenkins was hard on the crew...and I'm glad we didn't lose you, too," he mutters, shuffling his feet. A smirk tugs at the corner of his lips and it's the same smirk that won me over that particular night. But I'm not lonely, nor am I drunk at the moment.

"Thanks for bringing me back in one piece. I have to speak to Jeff in the bridge. Excuse me," I say. I try to walk around him but he blocks my path, not once but twice. My icy stare is not working on him, and I hear myself say, "Get...out of...my way."

"Look, I know it might not be the best time but I really want to talk you about that night," he whispers. His hand rest on my arm and I slap it away. Who the hell does he think he is?"

"You're right, this is NOT the best time to bring up a meaningless one night stand and as your commanding officer, I order you to get out of my way so that I may speak to our pilot," I snap. Low blow, I know it is, but Kaidan is the last person I want to talk to. Being polite didn't work and now I have to show him a side I don't want anyone to see.

"And as my commanding officer," Kaidan begins, "You shouldn't have fraternized with the crew!"

Huh, touche Alenko.

"You didn't stop me. I'm not discussing this anymore or ever again, so get the fuck out of my way," I order.

"Jane-" Kaidan begins.

As tired as I am, I managed to slam him across the room with a roar and some of the crew members in the mess hall rush over to help him out. My biotics leave me sweating but I'm not done with him yet. I stomp over and jab my finger into his face, right on his nose.

"When I say move, you will move, am I clear? Next time I won't be so kind," I spit.

"That was being kind? I just want to talk to you Jane! Damn it, I care about you!" he snaps.

"I don't feel the same way...I'm sorry," I whisper. I don't like hurting anyone like this, and I feel just a smidge of guilt for what I've just done. It was...unnecessary, I know, and I'm sure I'll be reprimanded by Anderson later.

Kaidan winces and I storm up the steps, still livid, to the control room. The galaxy map glitters beneath all the light and my anger ebbs away. The crew salutes me and a few of them say that they are glad I'm all right. I thank them as I walk past and make it to the bridge without further interruption. Joker turns in his chair and smiles up at me.

"Good timing, Jane. I was just about to bring us into the Citadel. See that taxpayer money at work," he says.

Kaidan and Williams join us in the cockpit and I groan inwardly. If I can't hide from him, then I'll just ignore him. I peer out the window as Kaidan and Ashley look outside as well. I tense up when Kaidan stands besides me, but he refuses to look at me and I breathe out with relief. Maybe ignoring will work this time around.

"Damn, that ship is huge too," Ashley says.

"The Ascension, the pride of the Citadel fleet," Kaidan explains to her.

"Size isn't everything," Joker mutters and Ashley and I both laugh out loud at that.

"Why so touchy, Joker?" she asks him, nudging his arm.

"Just sayin' you need firepower too," he says.

I shake my head and nudge him with a grin. "Just bring us in please."

Joker presses a few glowing buttons on the screen and says in the most professional tone he can muster, "Citadel Control, this is the SSV Normandy requesting permission to land."

"Such a pro," I whisper. Goading Joker a little bit is kind of fun sometimes, but it's all harmless. My respect for him is immense and he knows it. For now, he's the only man I love. One day, I might even meet someone who measures up to him.

"Shut up and let me do my job please!" Joker replies, trying to stare me down but instead he sends us both into a silent fit of laughter. "Damn it, Jane!"

The Citadel Control tells us that our clearance has been granted and that the Normandy could begin the approach. The Alliance Tower comes over the radio next and tells us to dock at 422, our usual spot of course. Joker eases the Normandy to a stop at the platform and he stretches his arms above his head, trying to swat at my hair. Captain Anderson leans in and tells us that we are to see Ambassador Udina immediately.

Joker groans and asks me, "This means no Chora's Den, huh? That kinda sucks."

"No one said we couldn't go afterward," I answer with a wink. "I'll even pay for your first dance and drink if you come along with me to see Udina. I heard he's a real hard ass."

"...Fine, but I'm holding you to that," he says.

"Since when have I ever gone back on my word with you?" I ask.

I help Joker into his wheelchair and soon, we're heading to those elevators to seal my fate.

I'm not really listening to anything right now, even though I should be. We're all standing in the Ambassador's office and Udina is raging about everything that has gone wrong on Eden Prime. I'm getting a bit peeved. If Joker wasn't here, I would have done something rash by now. The Council is having an informal meeting with us right now, and I'm trying my best to behave.

"This is a complete outrage! The Council would step in if the geth attacked a turian colony!" Udina shouts.

The salarian Councilor folds his arms before him as if he is about to scold a child for his bad behavior, and tells our Ambassador, "The turians do not found colonies on the borders of the Terminus Systems."

"Humanity was well aware of the risks when you went into the Traverse," adds the asari Councilor.

"What about Saren?" Udina shouts again. Maybe shouting isn't helping our case, and the old man is sure doing a lot of it. "You can't just ignore a rogue Spectre; I demand action!"

"C-Sec is investigating your charges against Saren. Officer Garrus Vakarian is the lead investigator," says the turian Councilor.

"Vakarian?" Udina shouts. "Out of all the C-Sec officers you could have chosen, you chose _Vakarian?_ He is far too rash...too hot-headed, to be handling such a delicate matter!"

"Officer Vakarian has the highest number of solved cases for C-Sec. We will discuss the findings at the hearing. Not before," the asari Councilor tells us.

Their hologram vanishes and Udina faces Captain Anderson angrily. He really needs to relax a bit, or else he's going to wind up with an ulcer just like Navigator Pressly. I wonder what exactly is so terrible about this Garrus he was ranting about. Sounds like someone who likes getting the job done, and no one likes that better than I do.

"I see you brought half your crew, Anderson," Udina says, nodding towards Joker, Ashley and Kaidan.

"I did, in case you had any questions," Anderson replies.

"I have your mission reports and for your sake I hope they're accurate. I've arranged for an audience with the Council. They were not happy about it, you know. Saren is their top agent. They don't like him being accused of treason," Udina explains.

"Saren is dangerous and a threat to every human colony. The Council has to listen to us!" I snap, my voice much louder than I meant it to be. By the door, I see Joker motion for me to take it down a notch and I nod.

"Settle down, Commander. You've done enough damage already. The mission on Eden Prime was supposed to prove you could get the job done. Instead, Nihlus is killed and the beacon was destroyed!" Udina snarls.

"That wasn't my fault," I tell him. "I told Captain Anderson everything that happened."

"Then we better hope that Vakarian's investigation turns up evidence to support our accusations. Otherwise, the Council might use this as an excuse to keep you out of the Spectres," he says. "Come with me, Captian. I want to go over a few things before the hearing. Shepard, you and the others can meet us at the Citadel Tower, top level. I'll make sure you have clearance to get in."

Ambassador Udina leads Captain Anderson away from the balcony and out the door. All of us immediately relax. Standing at attention is always a pain in the ass.

Joker wheels himself over and asks me, "Chora's Den?"

"No, hearing first. I think my standing with the Council is a little more important than watching asari dancers shake their ass for us," I answer.

"I guess," Joker says with a yawn. "Hell, I almost fell alseep during that meeting. If it wasn't for the Ambassador's shouting, I think I could have."

We follow Kaidan as he leads us to the Tower and I look all around at the beauty of this place. I love it here. The cherry trees inside the Tower are breath-takingly beautiful. They have died out back on Earth, along with many other trees and flowers. I think when I finally retire, I'm going to buy an apartment here and just sit back to live out the rest of my life in peace. I know I won't be alone, Joker will be there, but it'd be nice to find someone for myself. Someone tall preferably.

And I think I just found him.

Kaidan and I lift Joker and his wheelchair up the steps. We set him down on the floor and I tell him, "You know, you're lucky I care so much. I don't need to sweat like this when I'm not in battle."

"Yeah, yeah, at least I don't weigh a thousand pounds," he says with a smirk.

Ashley and Kaidan walk ahead of us and I see two turians arguing in front of the stairs. I stop pushing Joker and stare at the taller of the two. They're arguing about Saren...and the taller one demands for the other turian to stall the Council somehow. The shorter turian tells him it's not possible; that the investigation was now over, and he leaves. The turian I've been staring at slowly turns his head and his mandibles widen with a smile. It's been a long time since anyone has made my skin burn with a heated flush, and it feels...nice. Different, but nice. There's something about his voice that sends a chill down my back. He walks toward us and I gulp loudly.

"Shit, he's coming..." I whisper.

I feel my face contorting into a stupid grin and I feel so foolish...I just want to go right into the hearing. I don't even care if it'll turn out bad. What happens when one hunter meets another hunter? They circle each other, searching for weak spots on their opponent. One may choose to submit and the other can either accept or come in for the kill. Or...they both stand their ground, and fight to the death, the stronger emerging from the fight as the winner and top hunter. What would it be like, for the pair of us?

Joker slowly looks up at me, then to the turian, and then back at me with the most ridiculous grin he has ever given me. He chuckles and pulls his cap down over his eyes as the turian extends his talons to me. I'll smack him for this later, but now I'm focused on the clear, blue eyes of the turian. I see nothing else. My fingers close around his hand and his claws are sharp, threatening to tear through my delicate skin. This is a thrill unlike anything I've ever experienced. It's better than a fight...Jesus, get a hold of yourself, Jane.

"Commander Jane Shepard? My name is Garrus Vakarian. I was the officer in charge of the C-Sec investigation against Saren," Garrus says. So this the officer Ambassador Udina dislikes so much. Makes him all right in my book then. His voice...I'm pretty sure it could melt off clothes. I've never heard anything like it before. It's a bit deeper than other turian voices I've heard. All right, I've changed my mind. Fuck the meeting, I'm dragging Joker to Chora's Den right now to work off some of this tension. If I could only move my stubborn body...

"N-nice to meet you, Garrus," I stutter. "Sounds like you really want to bring Saren down."

"Real smooth, Janie," Joker whispers to me. I smack the back of his head and Garrus chuckles.

"I don't trust him," Garrus mentions with a hint of a growl. "Something about him rubs me the wrong way...but he's a Spectre and everything he touches is classified. I can't find any hard evidence. I'm sorry, Commander."

Ashley waves to us from across the room, shouting that the Council is waiting for us and I smile at Garrus.

"I'm sure you did your best. The Council is ready for me now," I say, pushing some of the hair away from my eyes.

"Good luck, Commander. Maybe they'll listen to you," he tells me. We shake hands again, and Garrus gently pulls me forward.

"I'm not going to stop investigating this. I believe you and I want to do all that I can to help out with this...do you think you can meet me at Flux later tonight, around ten? I'll keep poking around, break some red tape, and let you know what else I can find."

"I'd appreciate that, Officer Vakarian," I reply. Flux...my old hang out.

"Just Garrus, Commander. It's a date then. I'll see you soon." He smiles once more and Garrus is off in a hurry down the steps behind us. I don't really want him to go, but I can't think of a single thing to say that would bring him back here. What the hell is wrong with me? I don't even know him.

Joker bursts with laughter and I snatch his hat off his face. "What the fuck is so funny?" I ask.

"I never thought in a million years, that a turian would be the one to leave you speechless!" he says. "And not just any turian, he's a cop too. You better watch out; if he find out about your past, he might put you in hand cuffs...although knowing you, you'd probably like something crazy like that."

"Excuse me?" I ask with a raised brow.

"Oh come on, that lovestruck face was unmistakeable, Janie. Seems he likes you too; couldn't take his damn eyes off of you the whole time he was talking to that other turian," Joker points out.

"He was not staring at me because of that," I scoff. "Probably just recognized me from some news vids or something...Joker, will you?"

"Yes, I'll go with you to Flux to meet up with him. I'll even play wingman if you want me to," Joker suggests, raising an eyebrow.

"This is strictly on a professional level," I say, more for myself than him.

"Hey, he called it a date, not me," he mutters.

With another foolish grin, I push Joker forward. Garrus doesn't know me, but he is fighting for me. A perfect stranger has faith in me, and that...that's enough to push away my fears about facing the Council away. All I needed was some faith.


	4. Digging For Dirt

**Thank you all for the reviews! This story has been a lot of fun for me, and I'm happy to see that it is being well received. In this chapter, I did a HUGE nod to another video game series. It was just for laughs though. Enjoy this chapter guys; you wanted more, and I am happy to oblige.**

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Ashley helps me carry Joker up the final set of stairs and I shoot him what I hope is my most menacing glare. I don't care what he says, he might as well weigh a thousand pounds...but...I can't face this without him. I refuse. Joker has been by my side through both good and bad news. When I was made a commander, he was there. When I first met Captain Anderson and he drilled me about my past on Earth, he was there. Morning after Kaidan? Joker was there with a steaming mug of coffee and some medi-gel for the headache he knew would come with my hangover. And now this...facing the Council and possibly being torn apart for something that was beyond my control. I didn't want Nihlus to die. I looked forward to learning a lot from him and showing him he made a good choice in putting my name forward. If the Council could see into my mind...although I'm glad that they can't...they would see my true intentions.

Captain Anderson meets us at the steps and says, "Come on, the hearing has already started. I wheel Joker forward and stand beside Anderson with a solemn face as Ashley and Kaidan stand behind us. This...this is it.

"Hold my hand, Jane. It'll be fine," Joker whispers.

I reach down and his fingers loop through mine in an embrace that I need more than ever. For the first time in years...I am afraid.

The asari Councilor clears her throat. She's beautiful and elegant. I could never be like her. The Council stands before us so dignified, but they pale in comparison to the hologram beside them. He may be a snake in the grass, that evil son of a bitch, but Saren is dignified and proud, no question about that. It's a wonder we're even here at all. He could slit someone's throat right now and no one would question him. And when someone who has power is able to do things without someone questioning him...that's when things go to hell.

"The geth attack," the asari Councilor begins, "is a matter of some concern. But there is nothing to indicate Saren was involved in any way."

"The investigation done by Officer Garrus Vakarian of Citadel Security turned up no evidence to support your charge of treason," said the turian Councilor. Why is that asshole even a Councilor? He obviously doesn't give a shit about anything important. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't even read Captain Anderson's reports.

Ambassador Udina stepped forward and shouted, "An eyewitness saw Saren kill Nihlus in cold blood!"

For the love of god, please stop shouting, Udina. You're not helping. At all.

"We've read the Eden Prime reports, Ambassador. The testimony of one traumatized dockworker is hardly compelling proof," announced the salarian Councilor.

"I resent these accusations," Saren states, arms folded neatly behind his back. "Nihlus was a fellow Spectre...and a friend."

"That just let you catch him off guard!" Captain Anderson snaps. Too right, Anderson. I'm glad he's on my side.

Saren looks at Anderson and smiles...it makes me sick to see him smile.

"Captain Anderson...you always seem to be involved when humanity makes false charges against me," Saren sneers. "And this...this delicate little thing must be your protege, Commander Jane Shepard...the one who let the beacon get destroyed."

Joker squeezes my hand and I look down from the corner of my eye. Joker is one very pissed off man right now. If it were within his limits and Saren was here in the flesh, I wouldn't be surprised if he stood up and clocked him right in the face.

"I didn't do that. You're the one who activated the beacon and then you tried to cover it up by blowing up the place," I growl.

Saren chuckles and points to me with another smug grin. "Shift the blame to cover your own failures, just like Captain Anderson. He's taught you well it seems. But what can you expect...from a human."

"Insults? Really, Saren? That is arguably the lowest, most pathetic thing I've ever heard. You can't think of anything better to say, so you stoop to insults...like a child," I say loudly.

"You fuckin' tell him, Janie," Joker whispers with a smirk.

I look to the Council and add, "Saren despises humanity. That's why he attacked Eden Prime!"

"Your species needs to learn its place, Shepard. You're not ready to join the Council...you're not even ready to join the Spectres!" Saren hisses.

"That's not up to you, is it?" I reply.

"Commander Shepard's admission into the Spectres is not the purpose of this meeting," the asari Councilor says.

"This meeting has no purpose! The humans are wasting your time, Councilor. And mine," Saren says.

"You and your arrogance can't hide behind the Council forever, Saren," I say. Joker chuckles to himself and inside, I'm smiling. If that bastard thinks he can put me in my 'rightful' place, then I'm going to put him in his.

"There is still one outstanding issue: Commander Shepard's vision. It may have been triggered by the beacon," Captain Anderson interrupts.

Shit.

"Are we allowing dreams into evidence now? How can I possibly defend my innocence against this kind of testimony? This is absurd!" Saren asks.

"I agree," says the turian Councilor. Of course you do. "Our judgement must be based on facts and evidence, not wild imaginings and reckless speculation."

The salarian Councilor looks at me with tired eyes and asks, "Do you have anything else to add, Commander Shepard?"

I shake my head and answer, "You won't see the truth...and you've made your decision. I won't waste my breath."

The Councilors give each other a glance and nod for the asari Councilor to speak. "The Council has found no evidence of any connection between Saren and the geth. Ambassador, your petition to have him disbarred from the Spectres is denied," she announces.

"I'm glad to see justice was served," Saren says with a look towards me.

Our eyes lock for a moment and he thinks he's won...but he doesn't know me or how stubborn I am. His hologram vanishes and the asari Councilor announces that the meeting is adjourned. Udina and Anderson hang their heads and lead us away, defeated.

"It was a mistake bringing you into that hearing, Captain. You and Saren have too much history. It made the Council question our motives," Udina says viciously.

"Don't you dare talk to him like that. Saren has the Council in his god damn pocket and I'm positive that you shouting like a spoiled child didn't help us!" I snarl, stepping between Udina and the Captain. Udina's face contorts with anger and Anderson pulls me back by his side.

"I know Saren," Anderson says. "He's working with the geth for one reason: to exterminate the entire human race. Every colony we have is at risk. Every world we control is in danger...even Earth isn't safe."

"The Council won't help us. We need to deal with Saren ourselves," I tell them.

"As a Spectre, he is virtually untouchable. We need to find some way to expose him," says Udina.

I look all around us, making sure no one is eavesdropping and whisper, "I spoke to Garrus...he believes us and he's going to help. He's doing a bit more investigating underneath the grid and he's going to meet me later to tell me what he's found."

"Good. Captain, I believe you should allow Commander Shepard to investigate this on her own; you've done enough," Udina says.

"Wait, you just can't cut him out of this investigation!" I nearly shout. Why is everyone painting the Captain out to be the bad guy here? First Saren and now Udina.

"Trust me on this Shepard. Come, Captain. Let's head up to my office for a moment," Udina mutters.

Captain Anderson claps a hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze before he follows Udina, and both Kaidan and Ashley mention that they're going back to the Normandy to grab something to eat. Shit, it seems like everything has gone from bad to worse in a matter of minutes. I can only hope that Garrus finds something for me when I meet him later.

"Well...that was shitty," Joker says. "Is it Chora's Den time now?"

"You heard the bosses. I have to meet a certain turian in two hours...wanna grab some good food while we're here?" I remind him.

"Are you buying?"

I sigh and ease his chair down the seemingly endless amounts of steps as carefully as I can. "When do I not?"

* * *

It feels good not to be wearing armor. Most of the human girls here on the Citadel follow asari fashion, but I've always preferred my favorite torn jeans and a t-shirt. I skipped on the t-shirt for tonight and opted for a worn leather jacket instead. I didn't leave my guns behind though, I'm no fool. I have a pair of pistols strapped around my thighs and I don't even try to hide them. My black bra peeks out from beneath the zipper and I almost had to push Joker's tongue back into his mouth when I walked out of my room on the Normandy. When he reached out to poke at the exposed skin of my breasts, I threatened to break his fingers. I don't think it's that revealing. I'm way more covered up than half the girls here. A little chest never hurt anyone though.

I push Joker through the crowds outside of Flux and I flash a smile at the bouncer. Charon, is what the other bouncers call him but I have no idea what his real name is. He's the tallest, meanest motherfucker that I've ever met on the Citadel. Battle scars cut through his thick skin and for a human, he's pretty scary looking. He never talked much though, and Joker and I always got a kick out of pestering him. He has never cracked a smile nor has he ever uttered a word...but he has helped me drag a certain drunken pilot back to his old apartment here many times before, and he's even carried my drunk ass over his shoulder before I had a chance to embarrass myself. There's a massive line leading outside the entrance to Flux and I wave to Charon. He nods, unhooking the rope keeping the crowd back, and allows Joker and I to pass through without a problem.

"Welcome back...it's Commander now, right?" Charon asks me in a low voice.

Joker and I stare at the man who has never spoken aloud before and Joker croaks, "Holy shit, you can talk?"

Charon nods, but there's still no smile. Well, at least he talks. That's a start.

"Yeah...Commander," I reply with a smile.

"Just don't start any fights," Charon tells us.

"No promises," I say and Joker coughs out a hearty laugh.

"Eh, things always were more interesting when you two showed up. Commander, Officer Vakarian is waiting for you inside," he says.

"Thanks," I tell him, resting a hand on his arm. The corners of the bouncer's mouth lift in the briefest of moments and he shoves an unruly patron back before returning the rope to its rightful place. As he crosses his arms, I can safely say that Hell has frozen over and the world is coming to an end, all because I made him smirk.

"That guy...I don't even want to know what he's done for the Alliance," Joker shouts over the noise.

"Me neither. Do you see Garrus?" I ask, looking through the crowd.

"Nope, and he's kind of hard to miss. Maybe he's upstairs?" Joker says.

"Let's get a drink first. My mouth feels like a barren desert right now," I tell him.

"_Someone _is nervous!" Joker laughs.

"Shut up!" I bark. He's right though; I'm nervous. Almost as nervous as I was when we were at the Council hearing. God, I need a drink. I might need ten.

I wheel Joker to the bar and he turns to the lithe blonde girl standing beside him. He nudges her arm and asks, "Hey...you like pilots?"

I roll my eyes and try not to laugh out loud. Joker swears up and down that his favorite pick-up line works better than anything else he has and sure enough, the blonde giggles and bends down to talk to him. The bartenders are busy, so I'll have to wait for my drink. I lean against the bar and stare into the crowd for any sign of a certain C-Sec officer.

At the end of the bar, I see him. Garrus is chatting up a few girls and he lifts his head, meeting my gaze. A smile creeps onto his face and I feel my skin start to burn all over again. His stare is...hungry. I feel like I'm a frightened little rabbit and the vicious predator is coming right for me. Garrus adjusts the collar of his armor, and walks over, ignoring the lustful gazes of the women around him.

"Nice to see you again, Commander Shepard," Garrus says and there it is, that stupid grin on my face.

"Likewise," I say in earnest.

"Would you like a drink?" he asks. Garrus calls out to the bartender and orders a drink for himself. The bartender nods and then looks to me for my order.

"Just a water for now," I tell him. I need to be sober right now, this information is too damn important for me to be falling over barstools and grabbing on strangers while I'm dancing.

"Water?" Garrus asks, cocking his head. His fringe shakes with his laughter and he asks, "Did you really just order water? Commander Jane Shepard, the hero of the Blitz, drinks water at a bar? I really hope you're not as disappointing as your drink order."

I hate him right now...and it takes a lot for me to hate someone.

"Just tell me what you know so I can alert Captain Anderson," I growl. I wanted information, not a fucking party. Garrus' good looks are quickly being pushed aside as my annoyance grows.

Garrus shakes his head and tells the bartender, "She'll have...damn, what is it that humans are fond of?"

"Beer," Joker says, peeking around my arm. He holds up his bottle and smiles.

"I said I wanted water," I tell Garrus.

"Yes, that's it. She'll have one of those beer things," Garrus tells the bartender. He looks at me and smiles, even though my arms are crossed and my hand is itching to punch him in the face. He has no right to tell me what I should or should not be drinking, and his appeal to me is dropping.

Garrus looks towards the tables by the windows and asks, "Do you see those men over there? The ones that are all staring at us."

Turning my head, I see the group he's talking about and I nod. I get stared at a lot. I even had some crazy fan guy named Conrad beg for my autograph on our way up here. I have a feeling that they're not staring at me because of who I am. They're staring because of the turian chatting me up. That can't possibly be a good thing.

"I work with them...they've been following me all night," Garrus mutters. The bartender brings us our drinks and he downs his shot of a sickly green liquid without making a face.

Why would they be following you?" I ask.

"Do you dance?" he asks, ignoring my question.

"Yeah but-" I begin.

"Come on then," he growls, grabbing my wrist and dragging me away from the bar. Joker hoots loudly behind us and Garrus leads me into the middle of the packed dance floor. He rests my arms around his neck and pulls me close, almost nuzzling my cheek. My body shivers at the contact and I feel his laughter through the skin of my throat, metallic and deep.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I snap. "Are you fucking drunk or something?"

"Of course not. They might think I'm here to tell you more about the investigation...and I'd rather that they think I'm just trying to take you home with me. That's not against the rules," he says into my ear.

His hands slide down my backside and I wrap my fingers around his wrist with a snarl. "You don't have to fucking grope me!" I whisper. My mind doesn't want his hands on me...but my body sure does. Now I really hate him.

"Just trying to make it look believable Commander...so play along," he tells me. "Would it hurt for you to smile a little? You act like I'm so bad."

"Whatever, you're probably some sick bastard trying to cop a cheap feel off of me," I say. "It's going to take a lot more drinks for me to let that happen."

"Don't flatter yourself, Shepard. You're not that good looking for a human," he says.

I shove him back into an asari dancing behind him and smack him across his smug face. "You're an asshole, Vakarian!" I snarl, seething with rage. "How the fuck would you know anyway?"

I expect him to storm off but he bends over and laughs. I turn on my heel, ready to abandon this whole thing and start asking around for information myself. He takes my hand and I try to fight him off, but he's stronger than I am.

"I was joking, Commander. Every male in here, human or otherwise has been leering at you since you've walked in. Now, do you want to hear what I have to say or not?" he asks.

Thankfully the group of C-Sec officers didn't notice me slapping one of their men, and Garrus and I return to our former embrace, swaying along with the pounding music. This song in particular I'm pretty fond of, and I let myself get closer to Garrus.

"Tell me what you've found out," I say.

"I found out Captain Anderson and Saren have an interesting past. Anderson was made a Spectre, but his first mission was a disaster and he was immediately stripped of the title. He blamed Saren; said he set him up and that was why he failed," Garrus explains.

"He never mentioned that," I say. Maybe one day, I can ask him about it but I won't press. If the Captain didn't tell me, he must have had a good reason.

"He must have felt ashamed. I don't blame him. Saren is a bare-face...he can't be trusted," Garrus says to me.

"Bare-face?" I ask. "I've never heard that term before."

"These tattoos that most turians wear on their faces are the markings of our respective clans. If a turian doesn't have one, he's called a bare-face. It's a sign of being untrustworthy, because no clan will take you in. It's a stupid tradition really, but I've seen it turn out to be true more times than I can count." Garrus explains. The tips of his talons are pressing into my side, and he gives me a smirk and squeezes my waist a bit tighter. "Anyway, I'm friends with a doctor down in the Wards, and she told me that a quarian came to her with some very interesting information. A man who works out of Chora's Den, his name is fist, used to work for the Shadowbroker...and now, he works for Saren."

"Who the hell would cross the Shadowbroker?" I ask.

"Saren must have made Fist a very good offer to get him to do so. Doctor Michel told me that this quarian said her information had to do with the geth. Isn't that interesting?" Garrus asks.

"Very. I think I'll go pay Fist a visit..." I tell him, sadly pulling away from his hold on my body.

"Shepard...I know that you're the one running the show here, but I want to come with you. I want to help bring Saren down," Garrus says.

"You're a turian though," I say, raising an eyebrow.

"Saren is a traitor to the Council and a disgrace to my people," Garrus snarls. "The galaxy will be better off without him, and I want to see him fall."

I cock my head, and hold out my hand to him. He takes it with a grin and I almost smile back. "Welcome aboard then, Garrus. But on my ship, you do what I say...and if I want water, I get water," I growl. "Come on, I know a certain pilot who has been bothering me about visiting Chora's Den all day and night. I owe him."

Garrus laughs and says, "You got it Commander."


End file.
